Boeing completed the first test flight of its autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype in Manassas, Virginia, Jan. 22, 2019.
Boeing NeXt, which leads the company’s urban air mobility efforts, utilized Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to develop the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The PAV completed a controlled takeoff, hover and landing during the flight, which tested the vehicle’s autonomous functions and ground control systems, according to Boeing officials.
Future flights will test forward, wing-borne flight, as well as the transition phase between vertical and forward-flight modes. This transition phase is typically the most significant engineering challenge for any high-speed VTOL aircraft, company officials noted.
Powered by an electric propulsion system, the PAV prototype is designed for fully autonomous flight from takeoff to landing, with a range of up to 50 miles. Measuring 30′ long and 28′ wide, its airframe integrates the propulsion and wing systems to achieve efficient hover and forward flight, company officials said.
The test flight represents the latest milestone for Boeing NeXt. The division’s portfolio also includes an unmanned fully electric cargo air vehicle (CAV) designed to transport up to 500 pounds and other urban, regional and global mobility platforms. The CAV completed its first indoor flight last year and will transition to outdoor flight testing in 2019.